Honda’s Asimo robot plays football with President Obama

President Barack Obama is apparently enjoying the best of Japan. After partaking of that coveted $300 sushi meal with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Sukiyabashi Jiro of “Jiro Dreams of Sushi” fame, the American president next played some football with Honda’s bipedal humanoid robot, Asimo.

Asimo greeted U.S. President Barack Obama at the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (known as “Miraikan”) in Tokyo, Japan. The robot greeted President Obama in English – “Mr. President, I am Asimo, a humanoid robot. It is a pleasure to meet you.”  Asimo then demonstrated some of its signature moves including running, kicking a ball and jumping.

Honda is conducting robotics research for the purpose of creating robots that help people while coexisting with people in society. Asimo also expressed its future goal to President Obama – “I keep training every day so that someday in the future I can help people in their homes.”

Since its introduction in 2000, Asimo has met a number of VIPs from other countries. However, this was the first time for Asimo to meet a U.S. President.